Dec. 12, 2013 5:58 p.m. ET
ARE HYBRIDS TAKING over the world? Based on the rise of multifunctional products from the iPhone to the cronut, you might be forgiven for thinking so.
In the world of fashion, this multitasking mania can be seen in the renaissance of hybrid clothing, a trend that has come a long way since its inception in the 1980s and hit a low with jeggings. At the forefront are beautifully constructed pieces that bring together disparate elements of dress in a newfound wearability.
At Givenchy, supermodel Joan Smalls closed the spring-summer 2014 show in a black silk smoking blazer with a built-in skirt of swaying silk pleats, while Edie Campbell modeled a tuxedo jacket with elegantly subtle slits that allow it to be worn as a cape. Chanel's modern interpretation of the old-school jacket-over-the-shoulder look was chic half-jackets sitting on the shoulders, which were actually attached to the matching tops worn underneath. And, intriguing an audience in London, Peter Pilotto presented layered looks that blended classic white shirts with cropped angular jackets and ruffled bandeau tops with multifaceted skirts.
“ The moment is right for something more playful and intriguing ”
So why are we seeing these pieces now? "There's more depth to hybrid pieces than just a plain fashion piece," says Caroline Issa, fashion director of Tank magazine and an avid fan of the hybrid trend. "There's so much thought that has gone into the construction and there's a balance between the curiosity and desirability. When pieces do that well, they're conversation starters."
And it's not just the fashion world that's enjoying mixing things up. "My day isn't always defined by my activities, so it's nice to have something that has elements that can work equally well for a morning meeting and a cocktail party," says Alice Humphreys, a London-based art consultant who favors an oversized Chanel jacket, which is part tweed bolero and part tailored coat. "It feels like a personal triumph when you find something completely unique that can stand alone in its own category, rather than just another blouse or blazer."
Ms. Issa agrees: "I've been wearing the bomber jacket that's mixed with a plaid peplum tailored jacket from Sacai's fall collection," she says. "People have been literally stopping me in the street and asking, 'What is that and where is it from?'"
Designed by Chitose Abe, Sacai is a Tokyo-based label that has been quietly on the rise for more than a decade. Pioneering trompe l'oeil suits and evening dresses that float between genres, it marries men's tailoring to lingerie; puffa pleats to trapeze silk; and Nordic knits to lightweight lace. Behind the clothes lies the premise that what may seem complicated must be easy to wear, whether it's a cashmere sweater and military skirt spliced with lingerie or a pair of chiffon shorts under an emerald button-down nylon skirt.
"It is about creating a new idea by combining contrasting ideas," says Ms. Abe, whom Karl Lagerfeld has described as the most interesting designer of the moment. "I am drawn and fascinated by the newness that is born out of merging existing ideas. It's about creating a new expression by using classic and familiar items such as a T-shirt, a cardigan sweater, a jacket and so forth, as a base and then changing the fabrication and combining different aspects of another item."
"The current re-emergence of hybrid pieces is entirely her handwriting and aesthetic, which has been quietly influencing the mood in fashion for the last few years," says Karl Templer, creative director of Interview magazine and the stylist behind Sacai's shows at Paris Fashion Week. "It's also possibly a reaction to the strict simplicity of the last few seasons, so the moment is right for something more playful and intriguing; but there's also a timelessness to these pieces that stems from the combination of originality and functionality."
Whereas in the 1980s, salespeople had to show you how to wear cutting-edge hybrid clothing, contemporary hybrid pieces prioritize wearability. This, combined with an increasing demand for clothes that give more value for their price tag, is driving designers to provide consumers with something that feels fresh and wonderful to wear.
"What people really want is something new and special and, since the economy is so weak, nobody really wants just another dress or a sweater," says Valerie Steele, director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. "They want things that will intrigue people and the luxury hybrid pieces available now are easier to wear than the ones from the '80s, where nobody had a clue how to wear Comme des Garçons and Yohji Yamamoto. I remember a Yohji jumpsuit that I never quite figured out how to put on, so I just kind of winged it."
For proof of this newfound wearability, look no further than Nina Ricci's bib-fronted silk blouse encased in a men's oxford shirt—a playful reference to women borrowing their partner's clothes—or Junya Watanabe's multifaceted biker-meets-tweed-meets-denim dress, which combines the illusion of smart layering with the convenience of a single garment. There's also a "triple-breasted" sleeveless top from Acne, which looks like a jacket but fits like a lightweight glove, and the "half skirt," a shorts-skirt hybrid courtesy of Narciso Rodriguez, which is as sexy as a miniskirt but a lot more practical.
"These pieces are appealing because there's real design intelligence there," says Sally Singer, digital creative director of American Vogue. "Often, directional clothes look like the friend you never want to talk to again after you've bought them, but there's some way that these clothes get better over time. That's really the mark of a good designer."
First Steps to Footwear's Funky Future
Google the term "hybrid shoe" and you can expect to be treated to a mind-boggling display of Frankenstein footwear.
Kitten-heel Converse and a bubble-gum pink Ugg boot/Croc sandal/Vibram Fivefinger mélange are just a couple of sights that give one a newfound appreciation for those plain pumps buried at the bottom of the wardrobe.
But don't be put off. It's not all bad. Take, for example, the Isabel Marant wedge sneakers that have become a contemporary wardrobe staple. What started with the French designer placing pieces of cork in her shoes as a teenager developed into the "Bobby," a high-top suede sneaker with an interior wedge heel, which still sells out almost instantaneously across the globe.
Back when the Olsen sisters' label, The Row, launched its black alligator rucksack in 2011, it seemed incongruous to spend a small fortune on something with such a sporty aesthetic. Nevertheless, it soon sold out and the bag has become the label's best-selling accessory.
This season, the increasing influence of sportswear can even be observed in Prada's collection, which features Velcro straps and rubberized opanka soles juxtaposed with Italian suede heels and semiprecious stone embellishment.
What feels relevant about these pieces is the constant development of new ideas. A few months ago, when Tamara Mellon revealed her eponymous label, it featured a pair of suede and leather boots that pull up into leggings.
They might seem intimidating now, but who knows where they'll lead? Perhaps the "loot" will soon become a wardrobe staple.
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